Kop’s lone striker

BRENDAN RODGERS has told his stars to ‘man up’ after admitting they may have
to play the entire season with ONE striker.

The Liverpool manager says his team will have to go through the pain barrier
until he can get new faces in.

But Rodgers warned that may not happen in January because clubs are reluctant
to let their best players go.

Liverpool’s failure to bring in extra bodies during the transfer window has
left them with a chronic shortage — especially up front, where Luis Suarez
is the Reds’ only recognised striker.

Fabio Borini, 21, is the only other senior player who could step into the
Suarez role.

But after allowing England hitman Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan
without landing a replacement, Rodgers says his team will have to bite the
bullet. He explained: “We’re in a position where we’ve got 25 games minimum
between now and January, so we’re going to be stretched to the limit.

“I’ve spoken to the players and if they get little niggles, they have to man
up. We have to come together and be strong.

“January is a difficult month to do business.

“Sometimes it’s very difficult to get the best players in. If a team is doing
well, they are not so keen to lose a squad player and they want to keep all
their good players.

“There’s no point spending millions if they can’t fit the profile of my
players.

“Hopefully our scouting team will find the targets that will fit into the way
we are going to play going forward.

“Between now and then we have to be creative because of the limited number of
players we have up front. I’m going to have to find different solutions.”

Rodgers, who has started 17-year-old winger Raheem Sterling in the last three
games, admitted he will need to lean on a few more youngsters.

He added: “I’ve an inherent belief in young players.

“A young player will run through a barbed wire fence for you. An older player
will look for a hole in the fence.

“Every manager always wants more players. But the reality is there needed to
be a bit of surgery done on the squad.

“Some of the wages here were absolutely astronomical in terms of value and
worth.”

Rodgers again insisted his relationship with owner John W Henry has not been
soured.

He said: “I’ve got to say they have been very honest and up front right from
the off. I came here first and foremost because of the owners.

“I felt a genuine honesty in their approach and in how they wanted to go
forward.”